A computer program generally interacts with a user showing several user-visible text messages, such as menus, help panels, and the like. Most programs are originally developed in the English language. When the program must be distributed to countries in which the English is not the national language, it is a common practice to translate all text messages into the national language of the country.
The translated program must be tested in order to ensure that the text messages are correctly translated for the context in which they appear; moreover, it is necessary to ensure that the appearance of the translated text messages is correct, for example that the translated text messages within lists and push buttons have an appropriate size. The test (known as Translation Verification Test, or TVT) is commonly carried out by translators who are native of the country in which the program must be distributed.
The testers usually do not have technical expertise. As a consequence, the testers are required to move to a software development laboratory, wherein hardware, software and product experts are available; these technical experts help the testers to set up a testing environment, and to install, configure and drive the translated program in order to show to the testers all the translated text messages.
This implies a large waste of time for moving the testers to the development laboratory; moreover, the moving of each tester involves high costs, such as for the travelling and the stay. All of the above greatly limits the use of the test process and prevents it from being used extensively, with a consequent reduction in the level of quality and reliability of the software production.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks. In order to achieve this object, a method of testing a computer program translated into a national language as set out in the first claim is proposed.